Election-booth



(No Model.) 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 1-. P. W; BARRETT.

ELECTION BOOTH.

No. 488.747. Patented D-ec. 27, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. W. BARRETT. ELECTION BOOTH.

No. 488,747." Patented'Dec. 27, 1892.

FREDERICK W. BARRETT, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

ELECTION-BOOTH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,747, dated December 2'7, 1892.

Application filed August 31, 1891. Renewed November 1, 1892- Serial No. 450,607. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. BARRETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Election-Booths, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawlngs.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in election booths and the object of my improvements is to provide a simple and convenient inclosed compartment adapted to be folded into compact space for portability, and to allow of readily combining two or more booths, in their unfolded condition to form three or more compartments, the details of construction of which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings on which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts: Figure 1, represents a perspective view of the inside of one booth, the shelf being dropped from its horizontal position to show the frame work, and a portion of the curtain removed; Fig. 2, a top View of the frame work folded; Fig. 3, an enlarged detail view of a portion of the frame work showing the joints; Fig. 4, a plan view of two booths combined to form three; and Fig. 5, a perspective view of the auxiliary shelf for the intermediate compartment, Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 modifications of the framework and swinging joint; and Fig. 10 illustrating the use of one booth.

The letter A designates a corner post connected to its adjacent post B, byacross piece 0, screw-threaded into couplings D and E, carried by said posts A, and B, respectively. The bottom of each post is shouldered as shown in Fig. 3, and encircled by a collar F, adapted to rotate thereon and having the lower end of a rectangular frame G, screwthreaded thereinto, the other end being threaded into a coupling H, which is loosely threaded into the said coupling D, so as to readily turn therein, the postA or B, forming the remainder of the rectangle constituting one side of the booth. A cross rod 1, is also engaged with said coupling H, and to a coupling J, on the opposite side of the rectangle thereto, the said cross rod I being at a suitable height to form a support, together with its matching cross bar I, for a shelf K, pivotally mounted on one of said supports and adapted to be hooked over the opposite supporting bar when the booth is opened, and thus rigidly secure the same by bracing it in its open position. As before mentioned, the portion of the frame work G, is rotatably connected at F, and H, with the post A, and the other side similarly connected to the post B, whereby the sides may rotateabout the axes of the posts A, and B, respectively, and allow of being folded against the back cross rod G, in a compact condition as shown in Fig. 2. The coupling E has an offset connection with the cross rod 0 to allow of thus folding the sides closely to each other. The frame work thus forms a rectangular compartment when hung with a suitable curtain L, supported by hooks Z, or otherwise, therefrom; the front curtain L,may be readily pushed aside in entering or leaving the booth, and the shelf K, affords a convenient table for the alteration or scratching of the ticket before voting, without being exposed to view while so doing, as illustrated in Fig. 10. Thus it will be seen that one of such frame works andits inclosing' curtain, constitute a private compartment of convenient size for the individual, and may be readily set up in any suitable place. I will now describe a means of multiplying such compartments without correspondingly increasing the nu mber of booths, whereby two booths may constitute three compartments, three booths five compartments, four booths seven compartments,'and so on, the addition of one booth to those al ready set up forming two compartments ad ditional.

'In Fig. 5, is shown an auxiliary shelf K having projections or dowels M M from a cross piece on said shelf, and adapted to fit in the holes m m, in the supporting bars I, I on either side of the shelf K. The dowels M are screw threaded, and somewhat longer than their companion dowels, whereby they may extend through said supporting bars and receive holding nuts to secure them tightly inplace. A front and back curtain, as indicated by the dotted lines Fig. 4, renders this compartment as private as the adjacent ones, the sides of which serve also as the sides for this intermediate compartment. The only with but little more labor and expense than was necessary for three booths. The practical advantage of this construction, whereby cheapness, simplicity, portability and convenience are effected, is evident. Also it will be observed that the rotatability of the sides is secured by a unique connection with the corner posts A, and B, whereby a; hinge is formed which gives the required stiffness to the frame work without danger of wearing out or getting loose in the joints. The slight rotation of each side, not necessarily exceeding a quadrant of ninety degrees,"willnot produce any appreciable change of height of the sides at their inner corners. Thus will be observed that a light yet rigid frame work is constructed, which may betransported in 1 its folded condition, readily opened and set up in any suitable place in any required numbers, and the number of compartments formed will ineach case be twice the number but one, of the booths set up.

While I have described the" above means thus minutely I do not wish to limit myself to the exact form and construction illustrated, but may vary therefrom, without departing f rom the principles hereinbe fore' set forth and exemplified in the drawings. For this reason I have illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, modifications of the side frames and swinging con nection with the back cross-bar C. Fig, 6 shows theframe work'G formed in one piece as a parallelogram, at one side of which is an interval where the two ends approxi- Within this interval, and with a framework consisting of corner posts mate each other.

:'engaging with the said ends, is the socket coupling D, into which said ends are fitted by sliding, screw threaded, or other form of pivotal engagement, whereby the side frame is connected with the back, and, by the rigid bar 0, to the opposite side frame, pivotally mounted in a similar coupling to that at'D. Fig. 7, shows the back and one corner post A rigidly secured thereto by the form of coupling which receives one end only of theframe G in pivotal engagement, the other end being pivoted on the end of the postAby the coupling collar F, as before described. Yet another form is shown in Figs. 8 and 9, in which a slip coupling is constituted by the screwthreaded piece d, fitting into the coupling D, and the coupling II, the said piece d, turning loosely in one coupling or the other to constitute the pivotal connection, the couplings being slightly separated as shown in Fig. 9,

to allow of the slight axial movement in turning the threaded piece. Aneater appearance is thereby presented when the couplings D and H, are of the same size. The coupling J, may be simply passed over the pipe, or other material, forming the frame G and secured thereto with the pin or otherwise. The curtain, or other screen surrounding the frame work need not extend to the ground, and will thus allow by observation, of ascertaining if the booth is occupied or not. Fig. 10, illustrates one booth in use by the occupant.

Other forms of connecting two adjacent booths to constitute an intermediate booth may be used, and I wish to be understood as laying claim broadly to this feature of my device; also to the swinging connection between the sides and back, whether the rigid portion be constituted by the corner posts A and B,

the cross bar 0, and suitable couplings, or by the cross bar C simply, with its connecting couplings with the side frames, or otherwise. The curtains adjacent to the ends of the shelf .K are punctured to allow the dowels M and ,M to pass to the holes m and m.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to" secure by Letters Patent is,

1. In an election booth, the combination with side frames substantially parallelogram- Emat'ic, each frame having an interval in one iside thereof, coupling pieces pivotally mountled in said intervals and a cross piecerigidly iconnec'ting said couplings to constitute the back of are'ctan'gular structure,a shelf adapt- :ea to engage with said side frames and maintain them in their open rectangular position,

let an auxiliary shelf adapted to beinterp'osed jbe'tween, and connect the adjacent sides'of, two booths, said booths thus detachably coninected forming an intermediate beoth'with isaia auxiliary shelf, and inclosing curtains for said frame-work toscree'n the occupants of said booths from observation, and constii tute private compartments.

2'. In an election booth, the combination rigidly connected together, and side frames rotatably secured to, and approximatelytwice the height of, said corner posts, which posts other end thereof whereby said frame maybe rotated about the axis of said corner post and a rigidly pivoted joint be provided for said frame.

4E. The combination of a plurality of election booths, of auxiliary shelves having dowels and screwthreaded projections from the end thereof, adapted to enter and be secured each frame having an interval in one side thereof, of coupling pieces pivotally mounted in said intervals, and a cross piece rigidly con- I 5 necting said couplings to constitute the back of a rectangular structure, the side frames forming the sides thereof when opened.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK W. BARRETT. Witnesses:

OLIVER H. MILLER, JOHN E. FENWICK.

in matching openings in two adjacent booths substantially as shown and described.

5. vIn election booths, the combination with an auxiliary shelf adapted to connect two adjacent booths to form an intermediate compartment, of a cross piece at each end of said shelf provided with projections adapted to enter matching openings in the adjacent booth, and be secured thereto to support said shelf and prevent separation of said booths.

6. In an election booth the combination with side frames substantially parallelograms, 

